Today, Congressman Adriano Espaillat issued the following statement congratulating Vladimir Guerrero upon being named to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
“Congratulations to Vladimir Guerrero upon his selection to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, making him only the third Dominican baseball player to be inducted following baseball giants Juan Marichal and Pedro MartĂnez.
“As a nine-time All Star, Guerrero has a .318 average with 449 homers and 1,496 RBIs. In 2004, he was chosen as the MVP of the American League and was voted one of baseball's most feared hitters in a 2008 poll by the 30 managers of the Major Leagues.
“In addition to his success on the field, Guerrero is an example of perseverance and grit. Born in Nizao, a town nearly 45 minutes from Santo Domingo, Guerrero is one of nine children and grew up in extreme poverty. He ended his education after only the fifth grade in order to help his family harvest in the field. During his spare time, he played baseball and followed his passion to become one of the greatest hitters in Major League Baseball.
“Today, we celebrate Guerrero’s accomplishments and the significant contributions he continues to make in his hometown and throughout the Dominican Republic.”
